Thursday
Erev Rosh Chodesh Adar I 5771; Yom Kippur Katan
February 3, 2011
1) It is permitted to use a fork or a spoon to remove the "wanted item" from the "unwanted item" from within a mixture, for immediate consumption.
The reason for this is that the fork or spoon is not deemed as a "utensil" being used to separate the two items, rather it is considered an "extension of one's hand" and is only being used to assist the hand with grasping the item or preventing the hand from getting wet or soiled. (See Mishna Berura Siman 319: 66. See also Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Vol. 1 Siman 124 that this holds true only if the reason the fork or spoon is being used is to prevent soiling the hands or similar, but if indeed the fork, spoon or knife is being used to ease the separation of two items, it will indeed be prohibited. See Sefer Orchos Shabbos page 163 footnote 98 at length.)
2) It is permitted to use a nutcracker on Shabbos.
This holds true even according to those Poskim that prohibit the use of a vegetable peeler on Shabbos (as we discussed earlier in the Halachos for Wednesday January 12 2011) as the nutcracker doesn't separate the shell from the nut; rather it simply breaks the shell, and once the shell is broken it is now possible to remove the nut by hand from the mixture.
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Tehillim Teleconference for women and girls, Thursday, Erev Rosh Chodesh February 3, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Call 212-990-8000, PIN Number 6060#
Divre Chizuk will be given by Rabbi Yisroel Teichman, Rov Of Kehilas Zichron Yitzchok, New Hempstead/Wesley Hills
Topic: Chizuk For Challenges
Followed by recitation of Tehillim together: Perokim 20, 83, 121, 130, 142 and 100.
The Pirokim can be downloaded from Artscroll by clicking here
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers. Taken from the Q & A pages on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Yahoo.com
Reader's Question:
If a child knows a bracha already, and knows L'mi mevarech (to whom he is reciting the Bracha ), do you answer Amen?
Answer:
Yes. According to Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zatzal, you even can answer Amen to a young child's Bracha if he does not know L'Mi Mevarech, as doing so is training him that Amen is answered after Brachos are recited!
The Mishna Berura Siman 2215:16 doesn't seem to rule this way, but many contemporary Poskim do rulelike Rav Shlomo Zalmen Zatzal, and in fact it is the prevelant custom to answer Amen after very small children's Brachos.
Some Poskim want to suggest that if possible, only part of the word Amen" should be said, as the child should think you are answering Amen, while in fact you havent said the real word, and thus would satisfy both the Mishna Berura and Rav Shloime Zalmen's view.
For Halacha L'Ma'aseh a Rav should be consulted.
CHIZUK CORNER
As a Zechus for the Refuah Shelaima of one of the Gedolei HaDor, the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva , HaRav Chaim Stein Shlita, R' Chaim Yaakov ben Chasya Miriam, B'soch Sha'ar Cholei Yisroel, we will B'Ezras Hashem post here each day a short inspirational thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL FOR THIS SECTION, PLEASE EMAIL IT TO ME. THANK YOU AND TIZKEH L'MITZVOS!
אל תתיאש מן הרחמים
Chizuk For Today:
The holy Chofetz Chaim, Rav Yisroel Meir Kagan Zatzal
The Torah provides the following Lo Sa'aseh when you are in the process of criticizing or rebuking anyone (including reproving any close family member or close friend):
"VeLo Sisah Alav Chait--and do not bear iniquity when rebuking him." The Chofetz Chaim explains that even when one is giving a legitimate and appropriate reprimand--and even if the reproof is not in public but in private, one cannot speak so harshly in the course of his admonition that he shames or disgraces the other person...and, concludes the Chofetz Chaim, violation of the prohibition is even more blatant when it is not in the course of a legitimate admonishment, or when in a more public forum. How careful must one be to stay clear of such a severe Lo Sa'aseh--which in its very definition in the Torah is called a Chait!
When has one crossed the border and committed the grave sin of Ona'as Devorim--abusing his sacred power of speech by using it against others. The Rambam and Chinuch, as quoted by the Chofetz Chaim, write that it occurs when one angers or disturbs someone and he is frustrated, or put in a position that he can not answer back or save himself. The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (63:5) gives several examples and concludes that Ona'as Devorim is any speech that causes Tza'ar HaLev--emotional pain or hurt to another. None of us want any kind of Tza'ar HaLev which is so painful--we should be especially careful not to get even close to meting it out to others! It is certainly a true and everlasting accomplishment to go through a day, especially under difficult or trying circumstances, and especially when you have a 'good' excuse to act badly--pure and refined--because it was Ona'as Devorim free!
Important Numbers
